REG - ValiRx PLC - Cytolytix Commercial update

ValiRxAnnouncement

01/09/2025 07:00

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RNS Number : 3435X  ValiRx PLC  01 September 2025

 

ValiRx PLC

("ValiRx" or the "Company")

 

Cytolytix Commercial update

London, UK - ValiRx Plc (AIM: VAL), a life sciences company focusing on
early-stage cancer therapeutics and women's health, is pleased to provide the
following updates on its majority owned subsidiary Cytolytix Limited
("Cytolytix").

Cytolytix has received a notice of allowance for the European Patent
application "Nanoparticle for Anti-Cancer Peptides and Uses Thereof"
(application No. 21798092.9), a key patent in the Cytolytix portfolio. This
follows an earlier notification that claims within the European Patent
Application "Polyleucine-Based Peptides As Anti-Cancer Agents" (application
No. 20793085.0) are considered allowable and an accelerated examination has
been requested, following filing of routine amendments to the patent
description, to expedite notice of allowance. These two patent families
represent the core IP for Cytolytix whilst additional protection is sought for
new inventions currently under validation. Further details of these
improvements will be released once the corresponding patents have been filed.

 

Cytolytix has completed development and evaluation of its second-generation
delivery platform and scheduled materials for evaluation in Screenin3D's
UpScale(3D)lab-on-a-chip platform including Inaphaea's Triple Negative Breast
Cancer Patient Derived Cell models provided under the Evaluation and
Commercial Use agreement announced on 3 February 2025. The evaluation will
include assessment of the potential to activate the host immune system through
immunogenic cell death.

 

Cytolytix's peptides have also shown to be effective in prostate cancer with
preliminary results developed through our collaboration with the Open
University, funded through their knowledge transfer Voucher scheme, indicating
potential elevated activity under hypoxia. This state low oxygenation is
associated with certain cancers, including prostate cancer and Triple Negative
Breast Cancer and usually drives resistance to chemotherapy. Both these
cancers also display a high population of Cancer Associated Fibroblasts which
is replicated in Inaphaea Biolab's Patient derived Cell models. Inaphaea is
working with the Open University and ScreenIn3D to develop mixed CAF/Cancer
cell models for more representative testing. This work, in part, is supported
by pump priming funding from the Open University's Higher Education Innovation
funding.

 

 

ValiRx CEO and Cytolytix Director, Mark Eccleston, will be presenting
Cytolytix oncolytic peptide program at the Charles River Biotech Symposium in
Carlsbad (7 - 10 September 2025) and at the Oxford Global Discovery &
Development US 2025 in San Diego (2 - 3 October 2025) following a series of
presentations earlier in the year. These meetings represent excellent
partnering opportunities as exemplified by the deal with Omios Bio which
followed IO 360 in Boston in January 2025. ValiRx is in discussions with
several potential partners to progress Cytolytix, including a major
pharmaceutical company and further non-dilutive funding options with our
academic partners.

 

 

Mark Eccleston, CEO of ValiRx commented "We are pleased to receive the
European Patent Office's notice of allowance and acknowledgement of patentable
claims for Cytolytix's core intellectual property as we build our proprietary
position in the oncolytic peptide space. We are expanding these core patents
with new IP developed using in house expertise at ValiRx and Inaphaea and we
expect to strengthen our portfolio with new filings in the coming weeks.

 

"In addition, we are rapidly progressing with the in-vitro and ex-vivo
validation of the platform by leveraging the combined experience and resources
of our tCRO, Inaphaea Biolabs, with the advanced non animal 3D-culture testing
capabilities we have brought in through our capability partners. Development
of triple negative breast cancer models on Screenin3D's
UpScale(3D)lab-on-a-chip platform was a key strategic objective for ValiRx's
cytolytic peptide program through our partially owned subsidiary, Cytolytix.
We are further extending these capabilities to include VoxCell's proprietary
fully perfusable vascularised 3D tissue culture models as we announced in July
2025.

 

"These advanced models are critical in assessing the cell killing efficacy of
our oncolytic peptides as well as their potential to engage the host immune
system. The potential immune boost feature of this class of therapeutics could
significantly enhance both efficacy and durability of response."

 

 

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to
constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations
(EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK Domestic Law by virtue of the
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("UK MAR"). The Directors of the Company
take responsibility for this announcement.

*** ENDS ***

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 ValiRx plc                                        Tel: +44 115 784 0026

                                                   www.valirx.com (http://www.valirx.com)

 Dr Mark Eccleston, CEO                            Mark.Eccleston@valirx.com

 Cairn Financial Advisers LLP (Nominated Adviser)  Tel: +44 (0) 20 7213 0880

 Liam Murray / Ludovico Lazzaretti

 Shard Capital Partners LLP (Sole Broker)          Tel: +44 (0) 20 7186 9000

 Damon Heath

 V Formation (Public Relations)                    +44 (0) 115 787 0206

                                                   www.vformation.biz (http://www.vformation.biz)

 Lucy Wharton - Senior PR Executive

 Sue Carr - Director                               lucy@vformation.biz

                                                   sue@vformation.biz

 

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Notes for Editors

About ValiRx

ValiRx is a life science company focused on early-stage cancer therapeutics
and women's health, accelerating the translation of innovative science into
impactful medicines to improve patient lives.

ValiRx provides the scientific, financial, and commercial framework for
enabling rapid translation of innovative science into clinical development.

Using its extensive and proven experience in research and drug development,
the team at ValiRx selects and incubates promising novel drug candidates and
guides them through an optimised process of development, from pre-clinical
studies to clinic and investor-ready assets.

ValiRx connects diverse disciplines across scientific, technical, and
commercial domains, with the aim of achieving a more streamlined, less costly,
drug development process. The team works closely with carefully selected
collaborators and leverages the combined expertise required for science to
advance.

Lead candidates from ValiRx's portfolio are outlicensed or partnered with
investors through ValiRx subsidiary companies for further clinical development
and commercialisation.

ValiRx listed on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange in October 2006
and trades under the ticker symbol: VAL.

For further information, visit: www.valirx.com (http://www.valirx.com)

 

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